When Black Meets Blue
by Angie and Lena
Summary: Two teens find the true meaning of love in each other, but will it be enough? Gohan and Videl discover emotions that haven't bothered them before. Action, adventure, and humor follow the duo on their journey on the path of love.
1. Confrontations

Summary: Two teens find the true definition of love in each other, but will it be enough? Gohan and Videl discover emotions that have never bothered them until now. Action, adventure, and humor follow the duo through their journey down the path of love.

**When Black Meets Blue**

_By Angie and Lena_

Chapter One: Confrontations

School…most normal students groan at the word. But then, Gohan was as far from normal as a person could get. He greeted the first day of school with an anticipating smile and prickling excitement. Sailing through the air on his father's flying nimbus, his thoughts held none of the typical teenage gloom and angst. The most serious thing he had to worry about was the set of instructions his mother had given him. 

They were simple enough to follow, especially for someone of Gohan's intelligence. He had to hide his strength, make plenty of friends, get good grades (or risk being on the receiving end of a frying pan, courtesy of his mother), and perhaps most importantly, he had to hide his tail. That was one thing he didn't want to explain.

As he drew closer to the school, he searched the ground for a place to land. He settled on a conveniently dark alley. The next ten minutes were a pleasant stroll. Pleasant until a loud bang that echoed through the city...and through his sensitive ears. He winced ruefully.

"Now what was that?" he murmured, running toward the sound. The demi-sayian peered behind the building he thought was the origin of the noise. His guess proved to be correct; four brawny men with cruel scowls were loading a battered car with bags neatly tied. It didn't take a genius to guess at the bags' contents: money. The men were heavily armed, and any police officer that tried to stop them received a bullet for his troubles.

Though the police were numerous, the bank robbers obviously had no disinclination towards killing in cold blood.

"Put your hands up in the air where we can see them, or we will be forced to shoot!" yelled one officer from behind the cover of a police car. 

Judging by his slightly altered attire and badges, Gohan guessed the man was the chief. The officer's warning was met with brutish laughter. The robbers simply kept loading and taking shots whenever an opportunity presented itself.

"You don't scare us! And if you even try any funny stuff, we'll blow the bank up!" replied one thug who seemed bigger and meaner-looking than the rest. Naturally, he would be the leader. His henchmen were almost finished loading the car. If something didn't happen soon, the quartet had a good chance at pulling the robbery off, whether their threat to blow up the bank was a bluff or not.

_I guess this is the part where I come in,_ Gohan thought. But he could not be recognized. _Super-sayian it is._

The transformation was instantaneous, and he wasted no time on indecision. He lunged at the lead thug so quickly his movements were a blur.

"What the—! How'd you—what the—arg, never mind! What do you want, Scrawny?" grated the man, his confident expression replaced by one of confusion, as if trying to figure how the young man had appeared in front of him.

"I'm here to stop you," answered Gohan calmly. 

Trying to recover some of his composure, the lead robber laughed, but shakily. "Y-You! S-Stop m-me!" 

He was still laughing when he found himself on the floor, disarmed and handcuffed. One glance at his companions revealed that they'd suffered the same treatment.

"Thank you very much," the police chief said as he ran up to Gohan, his face an amusing mixture of shock and gratitude. "And you are?"

"Just call me Gold Fighter," answered Gohan a bit absently, his mind elsewhere. He needed to finish his journey to school now, if he didn't want to be late. And what a bad impression that would make! He rose into the air and soared off, reveling in the feel of the wind playing with stands of his hair. Almost there…

***

Only seconds after Gohan's departure, a girl with raven hair appeared, face set and ready for a fight. Her eyes scanned the buildings around, searching for a prey that did not present itself. After a moment of spotting nothing, she turned to the officer who was overseeing the return of several tan bags.

"Okay, Chief, where are they?" she asked impatiently.

"Oh, Videl," said the chief in surprise as he caught sight of her. "You lucked out. You don't have to do any fighting now."

Videl, who had been preparing to take off in any direction pointed out, froze. The smile she had greeted the officer with vanished. "What do you mean?"

"It's already been taken care of by someone else. Called himself 'Gold Fighter.'"

It felt odd, not being needed. Videl decided she didn't much care for the feeling, and her eyes narrowed. Trying to keep her irritation out of her voice, she asked, "And who might that be?"

"I don't know. He was here one moment and then gone. He had…blond hair, I think. Turquoise eyes, and you won't believe me, but…he could fly!"

Videl raised one skeptical eyebrow but said nothing. She gestured for him to continue. "Go on. Anything else?"

"Amazing," muttered the chief, shaking his head in admiration, "simply amazing…hm? Oh, let me think. Ah! I remember seeing an orange star badge on his shirt, like the kind you wear at your school. Odd, now that I think of it."

"Oh, really." An orange star badge? That narrowed possible identities for this "Gold Fighter" down by a good deal. The scowl that had found its way onto her face became a determined smile. _I'll find you out, Gold Fighter, mark my words._

Not bothering with polite good-byes, Videl jumped into her 'copter. It was time to go to Orange Star High School…and time to start the search.

***

Meanwhile, Gohan had finally arrived at OHS. He spent a minute simply admiring the building and campus. Then he remembered the time and hurried to the first class on the printed schedule he'd been given. It took a few wrong turns to locate the correct classroom, and he escaped being tardy by only seconds. His arrival was greeted by stares, both polite and contemptuous. Suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious, he studied the floor.

"Class, settle down," said the teacher, Mr. Gwareth, if the printed schedule didn't lie. He took Gohan by the arm and led him to the center of the room. "We have a new student joining us. He blasted all previous school records by receiving perfect scores on the entrance exams." Gohan couldn't help blushing, but the teacher took no notice of his new student's discomfiture. "Let all of you aspire to be as studious and hard-working as him. Everyone please welcome Son Gohan."

"Why don't you tell the class something about yourself, Gohan," he added.

The stares intensified, as did the feeling of being a specimen under a microscope. He mind blanked, and he tried to think of something to say. Anything that was coherent, anything at all… "Well, I like to read books and do martial arts." 

He winced as he realized how lame he'd sounded. Someone with long blond hair and bulky muscles apparently realized this also, because he spoke up.

"Books and fighting? There's no way that this scrawny bookworm here can do martial arts!" he said, looking contemptuously down his nose at Gohan. Some of the boy's friends snickered.

"Mr. Pencil, please do contain yourself just once, if that's even possible," said the teacher sharply. "Mr. Son, please take a seat right next to…ah yes, Miss Satan."

_Satan? Is that who I think it is? So that means that she's that…that _moron's_ daughter?!_

Videl waved her hand so Gohan would know where to go. Surprised and thankful (and slightly guilty for thinking such uncharitable thoughts about her), he took a seat. The teacher passed out some work for the class. He eagerly attacked it, glad to no longer be the center of attention.

"Hi, I'm Videl," said Satan's daughter after a while. She held out a hand, and Gohan shook it with a small smile. Her eyes widened at his tight grip, and he loosened it quickly with a sheepish frown. Thankfully, she seemed to take no offense.

"I'm Gohan," he replied.

"So I heard," said Videl dryly. "Next to me is Erasa, and the one next to her is Sharpner."

"Hi, nice to meet you!" said Erasa cheerfully, her whole face creased as if in a permanent smile.

The other student's face was quite the opposite, sneering and dour. "You better stay away from Videl, nerd boy; she's my girl." 

Before Gohan could begin to formulate a suitable retort, Videl moved lightning-quick and the boy, Sharpner, gave a cry of pain. He raised a hand to rub the rapidly growing bump on his head. Videl leaned back in her chair, studying her nails innocently, looking like she'd have liked to hit her classmate harder.

Ignoring the exchange as though it was routine, Erasa broke the silence. "Gohan, Videl's been telling me about some gold fighter. You ever heard of him?" 

Gohan shook his head. "No, who's that?" he lied, inwardly marveling at how fast news and gossip traveled. Just think if someone found out about his tail…!

"He showed up today," said Videl casually, scrutinizing Gohan carefully. "He took out a handful of robbers in a few seconds. Police said he had blond hair and turquoise eyes, and could even fly. He was wearing the exact same clothes as you, the orange star badge."

"Well, every guy here is wearing what I am," Gohan pointed out, somewhat shaken by how Videl had focused her suspicions on him. _However stupid her father might be, she's no fool._

"Hm, I guess," said Videl, but her intense gaze didn't let up. He had the feeling she wouldn't give up so easily.

"Hey, Gohan, what's with the furry belt?" asked Erasa.

_Not so soon! I don't believe this, _he wailed inwardly. Luckily, he was spared having to answer _that_ awkward question by the sudden beeping of Videl's wristwatch.

"Videl."

"Videl!" Gohan recognized the shrill voice as that of the officer's. "There's another situation at the bank. A holdup. We need backup, and they have hostages! They demand that we release the robbers that Gold Fighter captured."

"I'm on my way." With no further explanation, Videl sped from the classroom. The teacher, used to Videl's random departures and arrivals, didn't even pause in his lecture.

_I wonder if she can handle this. Maybe I should go and make sure._ Worried, though he wasn't quite sure why, Gohan tentatively raised his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Son?" asked Mr. Gwareth, sighing heavily.

"May I please use the restroom?" Yes, it was a cheap gimmick, but how else could he get out of the classroom? He sighed at the giggles of his new classmates and ignored a rather scathing comment of Sharpner's.

"Certainly, though I hope next class you can…contain yourself." This set off another wave of giggles, and Gohan all but fled from the room.

Once away from prying eyes, he sprinted to the roof and took off. He transformed into super-sayian for secrecy and additional speed, and after several minutes, he spotted a yellow 'copter in the distance. Squinting, he was able to make out the figure inside. Videl. She leapt from her copter and ran to the police officer he'd spoken with in the morning. He was speaking tersely into a walkie-talkie.

Gohan mentally commended the man for having the strength to handle such situations so often. Now that he though about it, Videl probably worked just as hard, and she also had school to contend with. Remarkable. She seemed to be anything _but_ her father's daughter.

"Videl, thank you for responding so quickly," said the police chief, managing a small smile for the girl who helped him so much. "We need the help."

"Where are the hostages?" Videl asked briskly.

"They are in the bank, guarded by five armed men. They are demanding 30 million zeni and the release of our first batch of bank robbers. Our hostage negotiator is speaking with them, but I'm afraid that talking isn't going to save any lives this time."

Videl nodded sharply and started to the building's door. "I'm going in."

"Be careful."

"I will!" Videl called over her shoulder before disappearing into one side corridor. Gohan followed stealthily behind, watching as she made her way through hall after dark hall. She pressed herself against each wall and looked past each corner, vigilant of any possible danger. Finally she came across the room occupied by the armed outlaws and their hostages. She held one ear against the wall, listening. She wasn't the only one spying.

_I'll only help if she needs it, _thought Gohan. It felt like a lie though. He was worried and jumpy, and he had the feeling he'd jump in at the first sign of danger.

Videl grasped the handle of the door and tensed in momentary indecision. Her face hardened. Biting her lip, she turned the knob and kicked the door in and tackled the closest thug to the ground. She jumped up and took down one who was stupid enough to gape at her. Unfortunately, the remaining three had not gotten so far without using a good deal of cunning and violence, and they had her surrounded by the time she got back to her feet. Both she and Gohan gasped at the three guns pointed at her head. Videl took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut, accepting death with serenity and courage.

"I knew the police couldn't be trusted," one of the men snarled. "They can negotiate with the barrel of my gun next. You first, girl."

_That's my queue._ Jumpy with tension, Gohan charged forward blindingly quick. The air around him seemed thick and syrupy, and his enemies moved impossibly slow. He plucked the three guns threatening Videl from tight grips. He spent the next second collecting the remaining weapons, and bundling them into a nice stack, he smashed them into a twisted, useless mass of iron. As awareness dawned on those impossibly slow-moving criminals, he lashed out with three successive kicks. The next moment, they were spread across the floor, unconscious. The whole sequence had taken place in only seconds.

"You can open your eyes now," said Gohan softly to Videl. 

Videl did as she was told, not quite sure what to expect. Upon seeing Gohan, her eyes widened. "Gold Fighter!"

"That's right."

Now that the danger had passed, Videl allowed herself some weakness. Her hands shook as she brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "C-could you answer some questions?"

"I can't," said Gohan, noticing how pleasingly the dim light of the room fell on her hair. He looked at the ground so he wouldn't stare. "I have to get back to sch…some other matters I need to attend to." 

Not giving her a chance to answer, he flew through an open window, leaving Videl to deal with the trembling freed hostages.

He raced quickly as he could back to school, but he knew it was useless. He'd taken too long casing the building with Videl. The disapproving look the teacher gave him did not bode well for the rest of the school day.

"I'm honored you could join us, Mr. Son, after the pressing half hour you spent in the bathroom. Perhaps you could send a postcard next time; it would likely reach us before you," said Mr. Gwareth sourly. 

The whole class snickered. Again. His first day was rather different how he'd imagined it. Somehow, he hadn't thought he'd spend it alternately kicking butt and being ridiculed. Half-heartedly, he opened his mouth to make some excuse, but Gwareth cut him off 

"Save your excuse for someone who will believe them. I'll let you go this time, but next time is another matter entirely. Take your seat, please." 

Head ducked, Gohan went up to his seat and sat down. He spent about ten minutes working furiously at the day's assignment, and then Videl barged into the room, breathing heavily and looking very young and tired.

"Sorry…I took…so long," she said between gasping breaths.

When she wearily took a seat next to him, Gohan whispered, "I'm glad you're all right."

She looked surprised for a moment and then nodded thanks at him. The rest of the day went by relatively smoothly. The teacher assigned Gohan extra work for his "dawdling" in the bathroom, but it wouldn't kill him. When the bell to leave rang, he heaved a sigh of relief and gathered his books, stuffing them in his backpack. Noticing that one of his books had fallen under his seat, he stooped to pick it up. When he straightened, he caught a glimpse of Videl removing a hand from his pack. He threw a questioning look her way, but she didn't return the gaze.

Shrugging, he left the building and took to the air on the flying Nimbus cloud. He mulled over the day's events in his head, trying to ignore a strange pulsing sound that registered just below normal hearing bounds. The trip was short, and in minutes he landed on the grass outside of his house.

"Mom! I'm home!" he called as he walked in the door.

No sooner had he spoken than Chichi burst out of the kitchen to greet him. She threw her arms around him in a tight hug. "Gohan, how was your day?"

"Oh, fine enough I suppose," said Gohan evasively, unwilling to mention the bank incidents. "I mean, there was this one girl…" 

Chichi's face brightened, and Gohan instantly knew he'd made a grave mistake in his choice of words. 

"Girl! Gohan, am I expecting grandkids anytime soon?" said his mother, her eyes glimmering. Gohan could almost see hearts dancing above her head.

"Mom!" he complained, his face reddening.

"Sorry, dear. Now what were you going to say about this girl?"

"She is suspicious of me, and I haven't even done anything!" Nothing that Videl could prove, he added mentally. "She suspects something, and it's only the first day of school!" 

But before the conversation could continue, an orange and black blur zoomed through one open window, knocking Gohan onto his back.

"Hi, Gohan!" said the blur cheerfully, bouncing up and down on Gohan's belly.

"Hey, Squirt!" Gohan said as he got up and put his brother on his shoulders.

"Gohan, can we go out and play? I bet I can beat you if we fight!"

Gohan smiled at the eager little face, and nodded assent. Goten instantly grabbed his hand and dragged him to the clearing outside their house. The conditions were just right for a good sparring session, Gohan observed. The air was warm, but a slight breeze provided relief from the sunlight. He could do his homework once the light failed. The weekend he could spend enjoying the quiet life of home. Little did he know that a certain raven-haired girl was going to completely change his weekend plans. 

***

Videl pulled down the wrapper of her power bar and took a thoughtful bite, observing a rapidly moving dot on the radar screen. Gohan must ride a 'copter like she did, if the person being tracked was indeed the new student. She was fairly certain she'd successfully planted the tracking device on him. But then, he was rather observant for his age. He was in a whole different class than brawny but relatively brainless Sharpner. 

The dot slowed and then stopped. Videl glanced at her watch. It had taken Gohan only four minutes to travel a very far different. She shrugged. Just one more mark against him. If what Chief had said was true, Gold Fighter could fly. The fact that Gohan had appeared at the same time as Gold Fighter was the biggest, most damning evidence against him. Maybe the student could fly. Maybe that was how he traveled so quickly. No matter. She'd know soon.

Feeling a strange urge to tidy up, Videl gathered her hair up in a high ponytail and put on a pair of sunglasses. She grabbed a helmet and boarded her helicopter and started it up. She zoomed across the sky, frequently consulting the radar for directions. As the dot drew ever closer, a small house appeared on the horizon. That had to be it, Gohan's home. 

She landed in a small treeless patch in the middle of a forest. Best not to be seen or heard. Before leaving the cockpit, she noted her location. _439-mountain area. So that's where he lives. So how _does_ he get to school, if not by 'copter?_

She started the short hike toward his house. She was halfway there when she heard a thunderous boom close by. Curiosity and alarm getting the better of her, she started in that direction. After a short while, she came across a strange sight. Two streaks of color zipped back and forth through the sky like giant dragonflies. She ducked behind a tree and touched a finger to her sunglasses. They magnified the strange scene before her. The dots slowed and she caught her breath as she saw them for what they truly were. Gohan! And another smaller boy, who must be a family member. A brother?

"You've done well, Goten. Let's try something harder. How about we spar in super?" said Gohan. 

_Super? What the hell is that?_ Any thoughts she had abruptly fled at the sound of two loud yells. Videl rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. Gohan and his brother were still floating in the air, but they looked completely different. Gohan's short black hair had grown an inch in the blink of the eye…and it was no longer black. It was a blinding gold, and seemed even wilder than it usually was. Gold hair, like Gold Fighter. But what about his eyes?

She squinted into her sunglasses and turned up the magnification. His eyes _were_ turquoise! She'd been right all along. Videl smiled in satisfaction. Now she knew Gold Fighter's identity, but she still needed to find out his motives. Did he really have the city's best intentions in mind? 

Once more, her revelations were cut short by a new development. _Is that a tail?!_

Swaying back and forth through the air as if it had a life of its own was a furry, brown tail. Attached to Gohan. She shook her head in bewilderment. What a strange day she was having. The pair resumed their fighting, and suddenly eager to be somewhere else, Videl took this as her queue to leave. 

_I'll be back tomorrow so I can find out more_. She returned to her landing site and reentered her 'copter, her mind not really focused on flying at all. It was still lost in thoughts of that mysterious and strangely alluring new student.

***

Videl woke early the next day, her mind clear once more with the determination to further spy on Gohan. He could be hiding anything. Though eager to be on her way, she took the time for a shower. She didn't usually pay much attention to what she wore, but she couldn't help slipping into something nice. So she'd look presentable just in case she got caught, she told herself as she peered into the mirror. Yeah sure, smirked her reflection at her.

"What do you know, anyway?" she snapped at it, as she finished tying the ends of her double braids.

Not even stopping for a brief breakfast, she stepped into her helicopter and returned to her previous landing site. She walked over to the spot she'd spotted Gohan and his brother the last time, but now only Gohan was there. He was floating under a tree, eyes closed and face serene. Was he meditating, perhaps?

His expression suddenly became alert and focused, as if he could sense that someone was watching him. Videl glanced around her, and when her gaze returned to the tree, Gohan was gone. Where had he gone so swiftly? She turned around, only to collide with a brick wall.

"Ouch," she yelped as she fell gracelessly on her bottom, more surprised than hurt. She slowly turned her head up to see whom she'd hit. It was Gohan. _Of course it would be Gohan_, she thought irritably. 

He held his hand out expectantly. Suddenly timid, she grinned sheepishly as she took the offered hand. He pulled her up.

"I'm surprised to see you here, Videl. What were you doing, anyway?" he asked. 

Videl floundered for a moment, trying to come up with a good excuse, but she quickly recovered her poise. "First I'd like you to answer some of _my_ questions…Gold Fighter."

Gohan opened his mouth as if to deny the address, but Videl cut him off. "I saw you yesterday with your little brother. Flying. In the _air_. You changed somehow, and you looked exactly as Chief described, so don't try denying it. And you can do those tricks those fighters did at the Cell games! And you have a…a _tail_, of all things." 

To emphasize this last point, she pointed at the furry appendage. It was Gohan's turn to be caught without a plausible explanation.

"Well…you see…the thing is…I wasn't…" the student was at a loss for words. After a few more failed tries, he managed to say something without stuttering. "Why don't we go somewhere and talk."

"Fine," answered Videl, gesturing grandly at the clearing before them. "Lead the way." 

Her command wasn't carried out quite the way she meant it. Instead of walking as she'd expected him to, Gohan scooped her up in his arms and took to the air. Videl couldn't suppress a squeak of shock.

"I thought you knew I could fly," said Gohan with a cocky grin.

"I did—I do! I just…didn't expect you'd do something like this." 

The rest of the flight was spent in silence; Videl's reverent, Gohan's pensive. Though soaring through the air was at first terrifying, after the initial shock wore off, Videl found herself enjoying it. There was something exhilarating about speeding across the sky. She closed her eyes and pretended she was flying on her own. The wind streamed through her hair, pulling strands out of the carefully plaited braids. 

At last they reached a secluded glade nestled between trees and a cliff. A waterfall cascaded down the cliff to pool into a rushing river. Surrounding the water was high grass that was so green it was almost blue. Flowers of every hue and shape were scattered across the glade. Videl stared at the scene of perfection; hardly able to breathe for the fear it would vanish and be revealed as a dream.

"This is amazing," she whispered as Gohan carefully set her down on a rock. 

He took a seat on another rock near hers. From his smile, he enjoyed her appreciation. "I come here sometimes when I need to be alone and think. So what do you want to know?"

She had a thousand and one questions for him, but she asked the most burning one. "Why do you have a tail?"

"That's just the way I was born," he replied. 

Though she sensed some dishonesty, Videl accepted the answer. She had plenty of time to discover the whole story. "How can you change into the Gold Fighter?"

A panicked look flitted across Gohan's face, and Videl knew that she'd hit upon a hot topic. It took him a few seconds to provide an answer.

"It's—it's a matter of training. I've practiced so much that I can do it."

Again there was an undertone of falsity, but the implications were too exciting. Did that mean…? "Will I be able to do it someday?"

"Maybe," answered Gohan.

A tingle of excitement coursed through her. Imagine if she could change like him! To be so swift and strong… "Okay, two more questions, and I'll let you go, for now. How can you fly and _how_ do you shoot light out of your hands?"

He looked more thoughtful than nervous, so she knew he wasn't coming up with a half-truth this time. "There's this energy called ki. It's inside of everyone, you and me, even Sharpner. There are ways to manipulate it so you can fly. You can compress it into blasts of power, energy blasts. In other words that 'light' I 'shoot' out of my hands." He stopped a moment and then, hesitating, added, "I could teach you if you wanted me to."

"You really would? You mean you could teach me how to _fly_?" breathed Videl. _This has to be a dream. I'm going to wake up any moment now…_

"Sure." 

She started smiling and couldn't stop. In seconds, she was grinning like an idiot, but she didn't care. "When can we start? How about tomorrow? I can meet you at your house."

"Sounds great," replied Gohan with a tentative smile of his own.

"Hey…you don't have to answer questions like that anymore. Why don't you tell me something else? What do you think of the school?"

Gohan looked surprised, but he answered and asked a question of his own. The whole morning and afternoon were spent in conversation, except for the brief pause during which Gohan disappeared and returned with a fish that made a very nice lunch. The hours slipped by like minutes, and Videl wasn't aware of the true length of time she'd spent with Gohan until he looked at his watch and did a double take.

"Videl, do you want me to fly you home?" 

Videl looked at her own watch. "Oh! Its six o'clock already? Sure, that sounds great." 

With that, Gohan swept Videl into his arms and started towards Satan City. A short time later they were already at her house. Gohan touched down on the ground outside of the front door and let Videl climb out of his arms. The two teenagers were completely oblivious of the pair of eyes watching their every move.

"I'm sorry I spied on you," said Videl contritely.

"It's all right. It was nice to talk to someone; I had a good time." As the last sentence escaped his mouth, Gohan blushed.

"Me too," said Videl, her cheeks feel a bit warm themselves. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow at your house."

"Yeah, my house. Goodnight, Videl." Looking unsure as to what to do, Gohan waved his hand awkwardly.

"Goodnight, Gohan." Videl did the same, feeling a bit silly. 

He smiled angelically and lifted off the ground gently and set off. She watched him until he was beyond the horizon. Then she sighed happily and opened the door, reluctant to go inside. She walked to the stairs, but Hercule stood in her way, a nasty scowl on his face.

"What's wrong, daddy?" she asked, feeling her stomach clench in dread as his expression remained dark.

"What's wrong?" he repeated slowly. "You spend the whole day with a _boy_, come home and ask me _what's wrong_?" 

Videl stepped back a little, but her temper surfaced and she took an advancing step. She pointed a finger at her father's chest aggressively. She was damned if she'd let him walk all over her!

"It's not a crime to have a _friend_ who's a boy!" she said between clenched teeth.

"Is that right? Well, you're not having any boy friends until he meets a few requirements."

"And those are?" asked Videl acidly.

"He has to bring you home before dark any time your with him. He has to…to meet me officially for dinner, and…and…"

"Is that all?" she said with false sweetness. "Too bad he has to meet you, no doubt it'll be a horrifying experience."

Hercule's face purpled. His mouth worked soundlessly. Then his expression grew crafty, and he made an addendum. "_And_ he can't date you until he beats me in a spar!"

"_What_? You can't make him fight to date me! Besides, he only wants to be my _friend_. And you haven't even met him, for heaven's sake!"

"I saw you two out there talking! He looked like trouble to me!"

Videl closed her hands into fists, outraged. She waved one at her father. "You were _spying_ on me! How shallow can you get?"

"That's it; I was willing to make concessions, but I've changed my mind. You listen right now, young lady, and listen well! I forbid you to see that _boy_ ever again! And I _won't_ change my mind!"

"_You're not my boss! You can't tell me what to do_!" she shouted.

His eyes narrowed and he put his hands on her shoulders. When she continued glaring defiantly at him, he reddened and paled and finally raised a hand. He slapped her across one cheek. Videl recoiled, pressing one hand against the side of her face. Furious tears formed in her eyes.

"_I hate you_!" she hissed, low and dangerously, before brushing past him up the stairs and to her room.

***

_Like or dislike? Review, whatever you thought. Chapter two on the way soon!__ Hope you enjoy the story so far! All comments and criticism can be sent to whitestag@gbis.com. Thanks for reading!_

_--Angie and Lena_


	2. Lessons

**Summary:** Two teens find the true definition of love in each other, but will it be enough? Gohan and Videl discover emotions that have never bothered them until now. Action, adventure, and humor follow the duo through their journey down the path of love.  
  
**Disclaimer:** DBZ and affiliated characters and concepts do not belong to the authors of this fanfic. Rather, we are borrowing them for a short time to share our story with people who might enjoy it.  
  
**WHEN BLACK MEETS BLUE**  
  
_by Angie and Lena_  
  
**Chapter Two: Lessons**  
  
Videl sprinted up the stairs, shoving any servant unfortunate to cross her path to the ground, her vision blurring with angry tears that threatened to spill over at any moment. She viciously yanked the door to her room open. Then, slightly unsure of what to do, she walked slowly to her bed and sprawled across it. Her eyes wandered around the room, eager to find something to smash.  
  
Her gaze fell upon a picture set on one dresser. A smiling Hercule had his four-year-old daughter on his lap, looking more relaxed than she could remember seeing him. She thinned her lips angrily and reached for the frame. The instant her hands closed upon it, she hurled it across the room. It hit the wall with a tinkling crash and fractured into a thousand shards of glass and memories. Some days she just didn't know her own strength.  
  
A timid knock at the door made her jump. "I don't want to talk to anyone. Go away."  
  
A quavering voice answered, a servant. "But Videl, I'm just here to bring you sup—"  
  
"I won't repeat myself," Videl grated out. "Leave, now."  
  
She laid back on the bed, massaging her temples and closing her eyes. At some point, she must have fallen asleep, because when she opened them again, bright streaks of sunlight streamed through the high windows into her room.  
  
One look at herself in the mirror convinced her that a shower would go a long way toward bettering her mood. She indulged herself, and when Videl stepped out of the hot water, she felt somewhat human again. Still in no mood to face her father, she decided to stay in her room and watch some TV. But two television programs into this calming solitude, her peace was interrupted by a knock on the door.  
  
"Who is it?" Videl asked cautiously, lowering the TV's volume. She had a good guess as to who stood on the other side of the wall.  
  
"Videl?" She was right; that was her father's voice. It was uncharacteristically meek, which was the only reason she didn't immediately tell him to go away.  
  
"Yes?" There was ice under that deceptively mild tone.  
  
"Can I come in?" asked her father.  
  
He sounded repentant enough...maybe he did deserve a chance to speak. Besides, Videl thought wryly, she couldn't stay in her room forever.  
  
"Fine," she called out. "Come in, then."  
  
The door groaned open slowly to admit a humbled Hercule, holding a delicate book of white lace and golden thread that looked very out of place in his large, roughened hands. Unwilling to meet her father's eyes, Videl focused all of her attention on that strange object. He shut the door behind him and sat down heavily on one of the room's plush chairs, an unusually pensive look on his face.  
  
"Videl, honey," he began hesitantly. His hands clenched and unclenched around the frame of his book. "I'm really sorry for yelling at you. And there was no excuse for slapping you. I never meant to hurt you. I just don't want some...some boy to break your heart. I-I suppose I let my temper run away with me."  
  
Videl didn't say anything, couldn't, past the lump in her throat.  
  
"Your mother broke my heart, you know," he said almost casually, but Videl could detect the barest hints of sorrow in his voice. Strange, she never thought her father to be an emotional man. "I know you've been curious, and I know I've never really told you anything about her. I just want you to...take this."  
  
He made as if to toss the book in his hands at her but visibly restrained himself with a taken aback expression. With abnormal care, he handed it to Videl. She had to pull at it somewhat to free it from him; his hands had clutched it, oddly unwilling to relinquish possession of it.  
  
"Thank you," she whispered, tracing a golden symbol on the cloth front with one finger. "This means a lot to me."  
  
"I—I'll just be...going now," said Hercule quietly, all but fleeing from the room.  
  
After his departure, she gently lifted the cover of the book to open it. TRILLLLLLLLL! She jumped, cursing, and looked at the large clock on her wall. It was time to meet Gohan: he was probably wondering where she was!  
  
She hesitated a moment before placing the book under her pillow and rushing out of her room. She tore through the many halls of the large house, grabbing a bagel from elderly, ever-faithful Yukio, who seemed to have anticipated her presence. She reached into one pocket for her 'copter's capsule and into another for the ignition keys.  
  
"I'll be back later, Dad!" she called, hoping he wouldn't ask questions.  
  
It was four and a half hours before the familiar dome shape of Gohan's house drew into view. A small smile crept onto her face as she caught sight of a smiling Gohan emerging from his house, one hand raised in greeting. As he approached, she glanced surreptitiously at his trim figure. He was wearing a gi of dark indigo, a burgundy slash tied neatly across his waist. Aware of her simple outfit of black leggings and a white t-shirt, Videl couldn't restrain a slight blush. She landed her 'copter several feet away from the house and hopped out lightly.  
  
"Morning, Videl," Gohan said, smiling cheerfully.  
  
"It's good to see you again, Gohan," Videl replied, with an answering smile.  
  
"Before we start, I would like for you to meet my mom and my little brother Goten. I'll be right back," said Gohan as he turned and started toward the house. Videl watched his receding figure with a hint of impatience and excitement. Unable to stand around doing nothing, she returned to her 'copter and returned it to its capsule. Afterwards, as she put the capsule in her pocket, a blur of black and orange raced out of the house. It was moving so quickly, she backed up in alarm, but the figure came to an abrupt halt right in front of her, so that they were nose-to-nose. Well, nose-to- stomach, anyway.  
  
The blur turned out to be a small boy who looked to be less than half Gohan's age. His features rather resembled Gohan's, in fact, and Videl guessed him to be her friend's younger brother. Her gaze was drawn to his chaotic forest of hair, and she almost laughed. To think she'd once thought of Gohan's hair as slightly unruly! She stepped back to allow for some speaking distance.  
  
"Hi, I'm Goten! You must be Videl. Gohan talks about you a lot. Is he gonna teach you how to fly and shoot ki blasts?" he said in one breath.  
  
Videl shook off her surprise at the young boy's inconceivable speed and smiled at him.  
  
"It's nice to meet you, Goten, and yes, Gohan is going to teach me how to fly and shoot ki blasts." Now if only she knew just what ki blasts were...  
  
"Cool!" the boy enthused.  
  
Before he could let out another breathless rush of questions, a woman of small stature with neat black tresses stepped out of the house and walked with light, graceful steps towards them. When Videl made eye contact, she recognized the intelligent glimmer in the woman's eyes. She met that same spark in different eyes across the room in school.  
  
Gohan's mother...she felt a flush of nervousness, though for what reason, she couldn't be sure, and resolved to be polite as she could. The woman smiled at Videl, and she answered with an uncharacteristically shy smile of her own.  
  
"Hello, you must be Videl," the petite woman said warmly. "Gohan's told us so much about you. It's nice to finally meet you, I'm Chichi."  
  
"It's nice to meet you Chichi." Videl said with a respectful nod. Gohan appeared to take the brief silence as his cue to step in.  
  
"So, Videl, are you ready to begin lesson one in ki training?" he asked.  
  
Chichi's mouth twitched as if she were restraining a smile. "In that case, I had better start preparing lunch. I don't know about you, but my Gohan is about ready to eat the house, from the carpet up through the roof, by the time he breaks in his training for lunch."  
  
Gohan rewarded his mother with one of his breathtaking smiles before returning his regard to her. Videl realized then that he was awaiting an answer.  
  
"You bet!" she said enthusiastically.  
  
Gohan led her to an area not far from his house, which was flat and covered in tall grasses that covered Videl's feet up to her ankle. A few trees were scattered on the edges of the small meadow, but aside from them, the grounds were surprisingly free of obstructing plants and bushes. Videl couldn't think of a better place to practice...whatever Gohan had in mind. He stopped in a patch of slightly shorter grass and sat down. She quickly followed his example, trying not to look as anxious as she felt.  
  
"OK," Gohan said, blowing out a calm breath. "First, you have to find your ki."  
  
Find her ki? "How do I do that?" Videl asked curiously.  
  
Gohan took a minute to gather his thoughts, obviously searching for a simple way to explain.  
  
"Well, first you have to close your eyes and concentrate on the energy in the center of your body. Then, you have to try bringing that energy out into your hands." At her hesitant look, he smiled reassuringly. "Here, I'll show you."  
  
He slowly drew his hands apart just in front of his navel, a small furrow of concentration on his brow, and a small, glowing sphere of brilliant light formed between them. It lit up the area around him like a small sun.  
  
"Amazing," Videl breathed, shaking her head in awe. She met his gaze eagerly. "My turn to give it a try."  
  
She set her shoulders, closed her eyes and tried to center herself, searching for the energy inside that seemed to come so easily to Gohan. He must have noticed the tense set of her shoulders, because she felt a hand grasp her shoulder gently. Her eyes flew open, and she just managed to withhold a blush.  
  
"Videl," he said calmly, "you have to relax. You can't be tense or you'll never find it."  
  
Videl nodded and proceeded, calming her tense muscles. She tried to follow his advice and spent the next fifteen minutes with her eyes shut, trying to draw out the energy she could almost sense beneath her surface. On what had to be her dozenth try, she felt an almost electric tingle in her fingers. Videl opened her eyes and saw a very tiny ball of light emitting a feeble light between her outstretched hands. She let out a gasp of delight.  
  
"I did it!" she said with a furious sort of joy.  
  
Gohan looked as pleased as she thought she felt at her quick progress.  
  
"Great job, Videl! I've never seen anyone bring it out that fast," Gohan said, with something like pride.  
  
The sincere praise lifted her heart and she felt abruptly like breaking into song or dance or something similarly jubilant. Slowly the little ball faded away. Gohan stood up and held a hand out for Videl. She took it gratefully, feeling strangely exhausted, and allowed him to pull her to her feet. She felt instantly light-headed and stumbled a few steps before she caught her balance. She shook her head as if to clear it and checked to see if Gohan had noticed her display of weakness, hoping that he hadn't.  
  
"Bringing out your ki can take a lot out of you," he said as if reading her thoughts. "You might feel woozy for a while."  
  
He started walking back toward the house; she watched him for a moment, and then followed, feeling slightly confused at the abrupt end to the—thus far—rather successful lesson.  
  
"We're leaving already?" she asked, pouting slightly.  
  
"Well, we can only do this one step at a time." Then he smiled sheepishly and a low rumble sounded from his stomach. "And it's lunch time. I'm hungry."  
  
"Oh, so that's the real reason," Videl teased, but she was a bit hungry herself, now that she thought about it.  
  
As they came closer to the house, Videl picked up the tempting aroma of freshly cooked meat, along with the spicy smells of seasoned vegetables. Her pang of hunger grew sharper. Chichi emerged from the front door and opened her mouth wide to yell, but she caught sight of the pair and smiled.  
  
"I was just about to call you two. As you can guess, lunch is ready," she said cheerfully.  
  
Videl followed the two through the door and looked around curiously at the tidy house. Its simple furnishings were elegant in an understated way that was entirely different from the very aggressively rich decor of her own home. Goten was already at the table, staring longingly at his food, reminding her so irresistibly of Gohan during lunch at school that she had to hold back a laugh. When he spotted Gohan and her, his face brightened with excitement.  
  
"Yes! You guys are _finally_ here!" The way he stretched out the word "finally" suggested that the two had been gone for years instead of less than an hour. "Can we eat now, Mommy?"  
  
Chichi nodded, and faster than you could say kamehameha, both of the Son boys attacked the mounds of food ravenously. To her surprise, Videl found that each bite of hers couldn't come quick enough. With a shrug, she dismissed it as hunger built up from what Gohan described as hard work, though she still wasn't all that sure that summoning a tiny spark of light no bigger than the tip of a ballpoint pen rated up there with heavy manual labor.  
  
"So, how is the training going?" Chichi asked over the sounds of rapidly disappearing food.  
  
"Great! It's so much fun. I only...well, I wish it could've lasted longer." Videl said, looking wistful. "But Gohan said it's nothing you can just throw yourself into. You have to go at it slowly, so it'll probably take ages before I learn anything. My dad will start asking questions if I go out to visit Gohan too often."  
  
Chichi seemed to mull this over for a moment, then her lips curved into a smile. "In that case, why don't you stay over at our house for the weekend? I'm sure you can tell your father that you're staying with a girl friend of yours."  
  
Videl's mood, which had begun to sink as she imagined the conversations she would be having with her overbearing father, brightened instantly. "Oh, of course! I'll bet by the end of the weekend, I will have already learned how to fly!"  
  
Gohan, who had been devoting his full attention to devouring every remotely edible object in the near vicinity, perked up as some of Videl's last comment penetrated his slowly fading hunger.  
  
"What was that?" he asked, looking faintly bemused.  
  
Chichi smiled at her eldest son. "Nothing dear," she said, and with a shrug, he resumed eating. "Only that Videl is going to stay here for the rest of the weekend."  
  
The sentence caught Gohan as he was swallowing, and he choked. "What? When did you decide that?"  
  
Videl feigned a hurt expression. "Don't you want me around, Gohan-chan?" she said, looking at him. Her crystalline blue eyes grew wide and sad, though her lips twitched as though she were trying to hold back a smile.  
  
Gohan looked chagrined and shook his head vigorously. "No, no! It's not like that. I was just wondering when you two found time to talk about it. I didn't hear anything," he admitted sheepishly, putting his hand behind his head in the Son fashion.  
  
Videl laughed. "I was just kidding, Gohan! You're so easy to trick. And it's no wonder you didn't hear a thing we said, the way you were downing your lunch like it was your last meal on earth." Videl paused for a second with a pensive frown. "Hm. You need to take me to my house to get my stuff. We may be able to sneak past my father." She pulled a face to hide her anxiety.  
  
Gohan chuckled and stood up. With a quick thanks and peck on the cheek for his mother, he started for the door, Videl following suit. As soon as they were outside, Gohan swooped Videl in his arms, and they were off. Caught by surprise, Videl let out a squeak, but she didn't mind all that much. Gohan had very comfortable arms and a careful way of holding her that left her feeling sure he would never drop her for anything. They moved at a breathtaking speed that reduced the ground below them to a mass of streaks and blurs of color and mangled shape.  
  
Soon she would be at her father's, risking a night of shouting for a chance at freedom. Freedom she was having a taste of right now, gliding through clouds and feeling like there was nothing at all in the world but this soaring happiness and Gohan's strong arms. And wishing it would somehow never end.

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_Angie here. I'm not going to say that I'm having "computer trouble" or that I have been busy. I'm going to tell you the truth. I'm just a lazy person. When I set my mind to it I'll be able to get chapters out in less then a year. But I'm also going to need encouragement because I don't do well without it. I would like to thank my two friends Darkheart81 and DrkWolfyOne for encouraging me, but you can also blame them for distracting me. So, I hope you accept my sincere apology and I will do my best to get the next chapter out sooner. Ja ne!_  
  
**Lena now. Well, blame the wait on Angie and the mush on me. :) Other than that, all I can say is enjoy, review, and maybe Angie'll get off her lazy bum and update more frequently. Don't count on it though, huh? Hope you guys liked this chapter. Gohan/Videl mushy stuff on the way. Oh lord.**


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